Renewable reamer



vJune 16, 1931. s. 1 CAMPBELL 1,310,201

RENEWABLE BEAMER June 16, 1931. s 1 CAMPBELL 1,810,201

RENEWABLE REAMER Filed Deo. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4' WM 50a 0 Patented June 16, l.19h31 STEWART L. 'CAMPTELL 0F iiesoi RENWALE REAMER.

ApneatibnMediacenter 5,' .1925s. sfiai segob?. f A

ly by virtue of vertical'movem'ent ofthe cutters @cutter-carrier with relation to the'body or Ymandrel offthetool. -Thegeneralbje 3t f L i tion of the cutterfca-rrylngrparts of the tool.

of the 'present' invention isthefsameas that of the prior application;l but tliemode kof alc'- ae comp'lis'hi-ng the object is somewhat different; and the invention ofthe present application is therefore', in some aspects at' least, to-be looked upon as an improvement upon "the prior invention. a f

In the present invention,` theseveral cutters or cuttingelements are mountedfso asto be movable only laterally "forftheir movement of lchange or renewal; that-is, a'sfshovv in the specific illustrative embodiment herein r. described, these 'cutters or cu`tting-elem'eits are rotated'in--aJ transverse planeabout ve'rticall vaxis oli the tool,- and are vm'ov'ed "step bystep 'to' bring fresh cutters intoV operative position. f y f f The stepby step y'rotation 4for change 'of the cutters isv accomplished by the relative ver# ticall motion or what may be' termed a mechanism, the triprnechanism be-ing engageable with the casiilgso as "to be pushed down relative to the body or mandrel (the part that is attached to the drill stem) when the tool is pulled upwardly against' the lower end of the easing or thev casing shoe; This relative downward movei'nent of' the trip cutters that throwsy afresh cutterinto perative position to take the place ofa cutter that has previously beenA i-n operative positi'on. Y Y Y n For the purpose of enabling" those' 'skilled f Fig. 7.

mechanism causesy the relative rotation oftheY BEREanni?,L 'oALrFoRivrA,jAssIGNon To JOHN GRANT, or i.:

Los'ANeELEs, @Armonia-m.

in the are @edm-'premuti the invention itself by Wayofa complete-andspeciic understandingjof an illustrative embodiment of' the invention3 I shall'describe such an'illustr'ative embodiment i'n detail inthe followingl specilicatin, referencey for this' purposeI being had tothe:accompanying drawings in which n Figure vl :is a' vertical centra-l longitudinal section of ther armer with the parts in'y operativefposition project one set of'ciitte'rs.

Figi?, isal similar vierv showing-the parts inposition ynfhere all cutters are'retraeted', tlis'positioh being that in which the-"tool rides through the Well 'casing and lalso"being the'intermediarteposition which is'assumed Whilefthejcutters are being changed.

Fig. 3-is an enlarged verticalv central sec- FignrlisV an 'enlarged cross-section yon line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Y Fig; 5 is aenlairged cross section Vvon line y off Fig. 41. 'n y y I v Y enlarged cross section on liney 65,-6 of I and showing a pair of cutters p .projdtedi l Y y Fig. 7 af cross 'section on line 7--7V of Fig. 2,"sf1'ni1a1fgeolthe Section @if ril-gde, but 'sliowingthe cutters all retracted.

rig.. e is aferss sect1-0n on une we of Ifgj.,l p .p

Fig'. is an enlarged fragmentary side ele-` vation vof they exteriortubular body of the tool and 'showing- 'the parts in the positionof 1Y0 is fragmentary 1egi'ardiffai1-ce'ntrail'A section Aofthe upper part of thev tool,

yshowingthe posi-'tiens assume'diby the' parte when' being assembled 'or disassembled. and y Fig. 151' is a fragmentary diagramma-.tic de# v'elopment showing the cani action which operates betivee'n'the t'r'ipfmechanisni aiid thev :rotative cutter' carrier. Y

It vvill be understood that the Ytooly here illustrated and described may be used either cept" as specifically so expressed in the api' as anv eip'ansive: reanier or as an' eipansive Q5 underreamer; and it will lrlsofbe' understood that theV `specific details of kstru, cture ivhich are noiv to be described are* not tob'etalrenY as .necessary iiinitatiqns upg-f1 the inventiofl e224 pended claims. The structural details are to be described only for the purpose of giving those skilled in the art a full and complete understanding of one typical embodiment of the invention, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention.

As thus shown in the accompanying drawings the tool has a tubular body 10 provided near its upper end with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 11 throughwhich the two tripsl2 are adapted to project for the operation of the mechanism. It will be readily understood that the number of such trips may be selected as any one may desire, and that likewise the number' of cutters in a simultaneously operating set may be as desired; I have merely chosen here to illustrate a. mechanism having two casing engaging trips and arranged so as to throw a set ol two cutters into operative position at one time. Thus the tubular body has two opposite trip slots 11 in its upper part and has two opposite cutter slots 13 in its lower part.

The lower end of the body is shown as having a sub 14 to which the usual drill bit 15 is attached. This sub 14 closes the lower endof the tubular body and serves also to support the rotatable cutter carrier C which is here shown as made up of upper an d lower cutter-carryingheads 20 and 21, and also an upper cam head 22. Lower carrier head 21 rests upon the upper end of the sub 111,

and the whole carrier C is capable of rotation on a vertical axiswithin the tubular body 10.

Mounted on and carried by the carrier C is a series of cutters, the cutters being equidistantly circumferentially spaced about the carrier and being adapted, by rotation ot' the carrier, to be successively brought to position behind the cutter slots 13 of body 10; and being so mounted on carrier C that, when in position behind slots 13, the cutters may move outwardly through the slots to project beyond the exterior surface of the body and thus be in operative position for reaming. In the specific design here shown the cutters are illustrated as being swingingly mounted on the cutter carrier, so as to swing outwardly horizontally to their projected operative position. I have also chosen here to illustrate cutters having cutting elements of the roller, or rock cutting, type. Thus, although it will readily be seen that all these details are not a necessary restriction upon the invention, I show each cutter mounted upon a vertical axis made up of an upper axis pin 25 and a lower axis pin 26a Upper swinging arms 27 are mounted on the upper axis pins, and lower swinging arms A28 are mounted on the lower axis pins, and a roller shaft 29 is carried by each set of upper and lower arins, the roller cutting elements 30 being rotatively mounted on the shafts. As shown here, the lower arms 28 are of shorter radial length than the upper arms, and the upper arms have their outer ends downwardly offset, as is best shown in Figure 3, so that when these relatively long upper arms swing inwardly to the collapsed positions, as shown in Figure 7, the arms may overlap each other. As a result oi the upper arms being longer than the lower arms, the cutters when in projected position have their upper ends projected turther outwardly than their lower ends, as is clearly shown at the right hand side of Figure 3.

In order to make sure that the cutters swing outwardly through the body slots 13 to their protracted positions, a spring may be applied to each cutter. For instance, I show in Figure 3 a coil spring 32 applied to the lower end of each axis )in 36 tendine' to turnthe axis pin, and therefore the cutter which rotatively lixed to this axis pin, in the relative direction indicated. by the arrow a applied to the arms 27 of the two protracted cutters as shown in Figure 6. In this extended or protracted position of the cutters, the arms 2T and 28 bear back against the side wall 13d of slot 13. The rotation of the 'tool for reaming is in a right-handed direction looking down on it, or in the direction indicated by the arrow R thereof in'Figure 6; and therefore the cutters are supported by their back bearings against the wall of slots 13, against the' Vcircumierential or tangential thrusts which are imposed upon them by reason of rotary cutting From what has been so 'far described it will now be readily understood that when the cutters are in the relative rotative position shown Figure 6, one set of the cutters will swing outwardly through the body slots 13 and thus swing out into expanded operative position; that when the cutters and cutter carrier have been relatively rotated to the position of Figure 7, the cutters are then so situated that no cutter can swing out through the slots 13, and that therefore the cutters are retracted; and that when the cutters and cutter carrier have again been rotated on to such a-relative position as shown in Figure (3, the next set of cutters is then inposition to swing outwardly through the body slots to operative expanded position. Thus a relative rotation of the cutter carrier C through an angle corresponding to the circumferential spacing ot the cutters on the cutter carrier will withdraw one set ot' cutters and substitute the next set in operative position; and in all intermediate positions all of the cutters will be contracted. The relative rotation of the cutter carrier step by step between its successive positions is the function ci' the cam head and the trip mechanism new to be described.

The cam head 22 has a series of cani slots which may perhaps best be understood by reference to Figure 11. Assuming first that the mechanism standsin the relative posi ion shown in Figures 1 and` 6, withy thevertically movable vcani actuating lug 10L in the upper end kof the cam kgroove al',downwardy move-4 ment of the cam actuating pin ywill make lthe pin move vertically downwardly along the patli'iiidicated by the dotted; line, through the upper part ofthe cam groove 4:1 g land; then, deflected by the-cam point 42, the pin then moves downwardly int-o and along the cam groove 4:3 until it reaches the bottom` of the diagonallyl placedv groove 48. See thediagram of Fig. 11. Vhen the cam pin lOthus reachesthe position shownl in dotted linesy at the bottom of groove 43, aiidassuming that the pin t() is restricted to lvertical movement and cannot move laterally, the cam headl has been moved laterally through. a distance measured bythe distance between line lei-A and the line C (Fig. 11)'. This distance is equal to hal-f the Vangular distance between adjacent 'cutters on the cutter carrier; and therefore, when the cam actuating pin has moved down to its lowermost position inthe cam groove 43, the cutter carrier and cutters have'beenmoved to the inoperative or lcontractedposition of Figure?. i

Upon subsequent upward movement of the cam actuating pin l() it moves vertically upward through the lower end of camgroovc e3' and then, deflected; by the cam point 44,

moves upwardly into and through-the diag-` f onal cari groove L1-1, moving along therelative path indicated by the dotted line' in Figure 11,. and thus, by upward movementnah4 ly reaches again an uppermost position., But the pin is. then located in the upper end of a cam groovedl which is adjacent tofthe cam groove 41 from which it originally started as herein described. Thus when the cam actuating pin 40 has reached its uppermost position as shown in dotted lines as kshown in Figure 11, the cani head 224 and therefore the cariier C has been rotated through ,distance corresponding to the distance between the lines A-A and B-B in Figure 11; and this distance corresponds tothe angular distance between adjacent cutters mounted on car"- rier C. 1

The complete cam` slot of cam head1 2,2 is made up of a series of the cam grooves, one series or complete element of which has now been explained; so. it will be readily understood that successive downward and iuiper.Y movements of the cam actuating pin will cause successive angularadvancements of the 1 cutter-carrier C in the relative direction of rot-ation indicated yby the arrow b in Figure 7.. YWhen-ever the cam actuating pin is moved down toits lowermost position, the cuttercarl rier is rotated through half tlie-cntterspacing angle andthe cutters are all thrown to: the contracted positions. of Figure 7,V and whenever the cutter actuating pin is subsequently moved up to; its; uppermost, position, they out.

ter carrie-r is again. relatively rotatedthrougli angle equal to half lthe cutter spacing, and thenext set of'cutters is-brought finto post tion opposite `the body slots 13',;to move out intraoperative expanded position.

- The functionofthe'tripl mechanism, is to v move the cam actuating pin 40orxany'suitaf ble number of such pins, up and: down. is willbe readily understood,` the cam groove elementsfof the cam headY 2 2 are symmetrically spaced aroundthe circumference of the cam head, and :therefore any desi-red number ofcamv actuating pins d() may be utilized. 1 have here chosen to show merely two such pins (see the section of Figurel but any number of pins, upy to the total number of cam groove elements, will have: the same ac'- tion'asdescribed.' n

The function of the trip mechanism now to. be described is to move the cam actuating pinsftO vertically. As here shown, the pins l0 are mounted in the lower end of a. shell which is 'vertically movable within the tubular body v10. The upper or headeiid of this shell is shown at 51. rlhisshell carries the; trips; 12, pivoted at their lower ends at 52to the shell andr projecting upwardly from y their pivots. The shell isslotted at .50u for accommodation of the trips 12 and the outwardly projecting parts 12a ofthe trips are adapted to project out through body slots 11l when the partsk are uin the position show-ii i Vin Figur-e 1, with the shell and thetrips in their uppermost` position. ln the upperv most positions the upper extensions. 12b of theztrips bear inwardly against a comparatively large mandrel'part 6() and are thus held from being moved vinwardly until tney fha-ve been moved downwardly to.' the relativeners of the projecting trip parts 12a and presses the trips relatively downwardty against the action of spring 61; and when the trips have moved so far down that their upper ends 12b can move in underthe large mandrel part 60, then the trips are pressed in to the relative positions shown in n igure 2,

cli

with their exterior surfaces substantially flush with, the exterior surface of body l0. In this position the shell 50 has been moved to its lowermost position, therefore cam ac` tuatingpins 40 have been moved toy their lowermost positions, and the cutters have therefore been moved `all of them, to their contracted positions of Figure 7. ln this position of the part-s` spring, 61 is urging.` shell 50` and trips 12 upwardly,tand the angle-of the shoulders 60a at the lower end of large mandrel part 60 is such that, unless the trips are confined by the casing, the spring will tend t`o move the trips outwardly to the position where they can move up to the position of Figure 1. However, as long as the trips are within the casing or well pipe the trips cannot move outwardly and therefore cannot move upwardly; and in this condition of the parts the tool may be passed up and down through the Well casing.

In order that the trip pivots 52 shall not be subjected to shearing strains, the trips have notches 120 that take the edge of shell head 51, so that longitudinal pressures or forces are transmitted directly to the shell from the trips.

Supposing that the tool is in its operative position below the well casing, with one set of cutters protracted, upward movement of the tool into the casing will cause relative downward movement of the trips, and cause movement of the cutters to the retracted positions of Figure 7. In this retracted position the set of cutters which has previously been in the expanded position, as shown at E in Figure 6, is moved to the Contracted po sition as shown at E1 in Figure 7. Then upon a subsequent lowering of the tool, allowing the upward movement of the trips and shell 50 and the cam actuating pins 40, these same cutters are moved around to the relative positions shown at E2 in Figure 6, and thenext set of cutters is then brought to the expanded position shown at E in Figure 6. Thus, by simple upward movement of the tool against or partially into the casing and subsequent downward movement, the cutters are rotated so that the set previously in use is contracted and the next set expanded. In the particular design here shown, I have illustrated six cutters, and therefore three sets of two. Consequently 'there are three sets of cutters available for reaming before the tool has to be withdrawn from the hole for substitution or sharpening of cutters. The total number of cutters, and also the number of cutters in each operating set, may, as hereinbefore indicated, be selected as desired.

The mandrel parts 60 and 62 which have been previously referred to are partsof an internal mandrel whose upper end is adapted at for attachment to a drill stem, and which is screwed into the upper end of the body at 71 and depends centrally through the tubular body. The part 60 of this mandrel near its upper end is the relatively large part previously referred to. Extending downwardly from this relatively large part 60 there is a relatively small and long mandrel part 7 3 which extends down through the cam head 22 and the cutter carrier C and may also extend on down through the sub 14 and the end just above the tool joint 7 5 of the bit 15.

The cam head and cutter carrier rotate around the mandrel part 7 8, and the mandrel has a longitudinal bore 76 extending from end to end and forming the circulation course which leads to the circulation passage 77 of the drill bit below.

The enlargedpart 60 of the mandrel has two oppositely disposed grooves 80 which, in the assembled and operative position of the parts, are out of registration with the upper ends 12b of trips 12. lffith the parts thus in the relative position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4l, the trips cannot at any time move inwardly far enough to move wholly inside the interior of the tubular body, although the inner positions of the trips, as shown in Figure 2, is with the outer trip surfaces substantially flush with the outer surface of the tubular body. Thus, during operatively use of the tool, the trips never move out of engagement with the slots 11, the trips, and also the trip carrying shell 50, being thus held against relative rotation in the body.

When it is desired to disassemble the reamer, the mandrel is unscrewed and turned lirst to such a position that the grooves 8O register with trip extensions 12b. Then the trips can be moved back into grooves 80 far enough that the trips are then entirely within the body interior, assuming such a position as shown in Figure 10. Wvith the parts in this position the mandrel can be rotated to unscrew it from the body, and then the mandrel, shell 50 and trips can be pulled upwardly out of the body. The cutter carrier, cutters, and cam head, may then be slipped out of the body longitudinally, as they are freely longitudinally removable when the mandrel is removed. When the parts are assembled in operative position,

the cutter carrier, cutters and cam head are prevented from moving longitudinally by bearing at the bottom on the upper end of sub 14; and bearing upwardly against the mandrel collar 62.

1 claim:

1. An expanding changeable cutter reamer, comprising a body, a cutter-carrier mounted on the body and adapted to be moved in a plane transverse of the body, a plurality of cutters mounted on the cuttercarrier and adapted to be selectively moved to expanding position by virtue of such movement of the cutter carrier, and means mounted on the body and movable longitudinally relative thereto and adapted to move the cutter-carrier step by step.

2. An expanding changeable cutter reamer, comprising an elongate body, a cutter carrier mounted on the body for rotation relative thereto about the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of cutters mounted on the carrier and adapted to be selectively moved to expanding position by such relative rotation of the carrier, and means to rotate the` carier step .by step said-means vincluding an actuating member movable longitudinally With reference tothe body.v

3. iinexpanding changeable cutter reamer, comprising a body, a plurality .of .cutters movable together as a setina plane transverse o thebcdy Whereby-the-several cutters of the set Amay be selectively movedto eX- panding rpositiomand mea-ns tol move said. set

` of cutters step by step said-,means including` an actuating member Whichmoves longitudinallyfrelative to the body. l

4. An expanding changeable cutterireamer, compri-sing 4a body, 4a plurality, otcircumferentially spaced cutters mount-ed onrthe'bodiy to berotate'd vasia unitwvilh 'reference-to the body', .whereby said cutters may 'be selectively moved to Vexpanding position, and means torotate said cutters step by step with reference to the body,` said Ameans.including' an actuating member which moves longitudinally With reference vto the-body. H

5. Achangeable cutter reamer, comprising an elongate body, a cutter carrier mounted thereon for movement in a transverse plane relative to the body, a plurality of transversely -spaced cutters mounted on the car rier and adapted, by such movement of the carrier, to be selectively moved one at a time into operative position, and means lfor'moving the carrier step by step said means including an actuating membeiI movable longitudinally with reference to the body.

6. A changeable cutter reamer, comprising an elongate body, a cutter carrier mounted on the body for rotation relatively to about the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted on the carrier and adapted by relative rotation of the carrier to be selectively moved one at a. time into operative position With reference to the body, and means for rotating the carrier step by step With reference to the body, said means including an actuatino' member movable longitudinallyY with rei'erence to the body.

7. A changeable cutterreamer comprising an elongate body, a plurality of transversely spaced cutters movable as a. unit in a plane transverse to the body and thereby movable selectively one at a time to an operative position with relation to the body, and means for moving said cutters as a unit step by step with relation to the body, said means including an actuating member movable longitudinally with reterence'to the body.

8. A changeable cutter reamer comprising an elongate body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted in the body for rotation as a unit around a. longitudinal axis oi the body, and means for rotating said cutters as a unit step by step With relation to the body whereby said cutters are selectively moved one at a time into operative position with relation to the body, said means including aniactuating member movable longitudinally With reference to the body.

An `expanding changeable cutter reamer, comprisinga tubular body having :a cutter projectionslot lthrough its Wall, a ,plurality of spaced cutters .Within the body and movable as .a unit pasttheprojection slot, and means for moving the lcutters as a unit and step by step to bring the cutters selectively into registration with the projection slot.

10. An expandingchangeable cutter reamer lcomprising a tubular body with .a cutter projection slot through its Wall, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters Within the tubular body and rotatable as a unit about the longitudinal axis of the body, and means for rotating` said cuttersas a unit step by step .with reference to the body whereby the cuttersare selectively brought to position registering With the cutter projection-slot.

. 11. An expanding changeable cutter reamer comprising a tubular body with a cutter pro-l jection slotthroughgits Wall, a cutter-carrier .Within the,body androtatable `With reference thereto yabout the l.longitudinal yaxis of the body, aplurality of cireumterentially spaced cutters ymounted on thecarrier and adapted by carrier. rotationto be successively moved into position :registering with the cutter projection slot, and' means to rotate the carrier step by step vvithrelation to the body.

l2. yAn exp andinggchangeable cutter `reamer, comprising a tubularv'body having Aa cutter projection slot through its Wall, a plurality of spaced cutterszvvithin the body and movable as a unitpast kthe projection slot, and meansior moving the cutters as aunit andstep by Vstep to bring the cutters-.selectively into registration With the projection slot,`

said means including an actuatingmember movable Vlongitudinally vvith relationto the body. f

y13. An expandingchangeablecutter reamer comprising-.a tubular body with va cutter projection slot through yits Wall, a yplurality of circumferentially spaced cutters Within the tubular body and rotatable as a unit about the-longitudinal-axis of the body, and means for rotating said cuttersfas a. unitvstep by step `vvith reference to the body -vvhereby thercutters arefselectively brought toposition registering With the cutter projection slot,

saidmeans includingian actuating member movable longitudinally ,with relationto the body.

14. An expandingchangeable cutter reamer comprising a tubular body Witha cutter projection slot. through its Wall, a cutter carrier Within the .body andirot-atable .With reference hereto about `the 'longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially;spaced cutters mountedV on the carrier andiadapted by carrier rotation to be successivelymoved into ,position're'gisteringWith the ycutter projection slot, andmeansto rotate'thecarrier step by step with relation to the body, said means including an actuating member mov able longitudinally With relation to the body.

15. An expanding changeable cutter reamer comprising a tubular body with a Icutter projecting slot through its Wall, a cutter carrier Within the body and rotatable with reference thereto about the longitudr nal axis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted on the carrier and adapted by carrier rotation to be successively moved into position registering With the cutter projection slot, and means to rotate the carrier step by step with relation to the body, said means including a cam head rotatively connected With the rotative carrier and a casing engaging member movable longitudinally with reference to the body and acting upon the cam head to cause its rotation by virtue of the relative longitudinal movement of the casing engaging member.

16. An expanding changeable cutter reamer comprising a tubular body With a cutter projecting slot through its Wall, a cutter carrier Within the body and rotatable with reference thereto about the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted on the carrier and adapted by carrier rotation to be successively moved into position registering with the cutter projection slot, and means to rotate the carrier step by step with relation to the body; said means including a cam head mounted upon and rotatable with a carrier, a longitudinally movable member in the body and engaging said cam head so that relative longitudinal movement of said member causes rotation of the cam head and cutter carrier, and a casing engaging trip mounted upon and longitudinally movable With said member.

17. An expanding changeable cutter reamer comprising a tubular body With a cutter projecting slot through its wall, a cutter carrier within the body and rotatable with reference thereto about the longitudinal raxis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted on the carrier and adapted by carrier rotation to be successively moved into position registering with the cutter projection slot, and means to rotate the carrier step by step with relation to the body; said means including a cam head rotatively connected with the rotative carrier and a casing engaging member movable longitudinally with reference to thel body and acting upon the cam head to cause its rotation by virtue of the relative longitudinal movement of the casing engaging' member, and a spring urging said casing en gaging member longitudinally in one direc tion.

18. An expanding changeable cutter ream- 'er comprising a tubular body With a cutter projecting slot through its Wall, a cutter carrier Within the body and rotatable With reference thereto about the longitudinal axis of the body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters mounted on the carv rier and adapted by carrier rotation to be successively moved into position registering With the cutter projection slot, means to rotate the carrier step by step With relation to the body, said means including a cam head mounted upon and rotatable with a carrier, a longitudinally movable member in the body and engaging said cam head so that relative longitudinal movement of said member causes rotation of the cam head and cutter carrier, a casing engaging trip mounted upon and longitudinally movable With said member, and a spring urging said member and said casing engaging trip longitudinally in one direction.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my name this 8 day of November 1928.

STEWART L. CAMPBELL. 

